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Old 04-04-07 | 09:02 PM
  #29  
jpearl
Rabbinic Authority
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 650
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From: Silver Spring, MD (MABRA/MAC)

Bikes: Cannondale Cyclocross, Specialized Langster, Giant TCR-C2 Composite

Yes I have, on a velodrome, when my coach took our junior road racing team to Trexlertown PA to tear around the Lehiegh Valley Velodrome. I had the bike at full speed, perpendicular to the banks and challenging my teamates to Match Sprints and Pursuits, so yes, I have ridden a fixed-gear bike as they should be ridden. I've been on training rides where a few roadies had fixed gear in the early season on sparsely-trafficked roads where they were only concerned about building leg speed and strenght, and not hipster status, and would never ride those bikes on a city road.

I've been doing the sport for a long time, I've ridden and raced road and mountain bikes, ridden a lot of cyclocross, and commute daily on a single speed. I've been doing this sport since before it was "cool", back before Lance and when the name of the big hero was Greg Lemond. I've been riding since before carbon fiber and before suspension, back when only "pansies" shaved thier legs and wore "spandex".

No, it's not being judgemental, it's called being experienced enough to know that riding fixed on city streets, or on the road at all is a personal call where the individual assumes all risk. It's similar to those of us in the rock climbing community as well who understand that while experienced free-solo climbers are some of the best climbers in the world, anyone who climbs trad, sport, or aid has all the right to dismiss them as suicidal and dangerous because they climb ropeless and gearless. I personally would never recommend riding without brakes ("brakeless") on the road. It all comes down to a limited ability to slow down or stop. If it's your choice to ride "brakeless", then fine, but don't expect acceptance or approval from those of us who choose the safety element over the coolness element, or the personal statement element for that matter. I use my crankset to go fast and forward only, not to slow down and stop. That's what my caliper brakes are for.
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